Everyday Wins: Why Arroz Recalentado and a Coke Hit Different on a Regular Tuesday

Let’s get real, life in your early 20s and 30s is rarely as curated as it looks on social media. Between learning how to live away from your parents’ house, juggling work, bills, and figuring out what “adulting” actually means, the midweek slump can feel like a mountain. 

But sometimes, the smallest moments, like calling your mom to give you the secrets to her frijoles or reheating leftovers from the weekend, can feel like tiny victories. 

Here’s why those moments hit differently, especially when you enjoy them with an ice-cold Coca-Cola in hand. 

1. Arroz recalentado is a love language 

There’s something deeply satisfying about opening the fridge, seeing Monday’s rice, and knowing you don’t have to cook from scratch. No matter how old you are, arroz is a canvas that goes well with everything from carne asada to a fried egg or a can of tuna. It’s more than killing your hunger; it’s comfort. The moment of remixing your dinner into something new with the old is therapeutic. So, while the microwave hums, pop open an ice-cold Coca Cola to complete the ritual. The fizz, the flavor, the familiarity, it’s the reset you didn’t know you needed.

2. Cooking for one, but make it meaningful

Many of us are the first in our families to live on our own. Living solo or with roommates often means you’re in charge of your own cooking (abuela, come back!). While some days may be overwhelming, preparing dishes with your leftovers can be a way to regain control. Your friends may be spending $20 on a rice bowl, but you’ve got the ingredients right in your fridge. Take a mixture of whatever you have in your fridge: leftover rice, hot sauce, tomatoes, and some greens. If you have leftover carnitas or chicken, you can add that in too. 

3. Calling your mom counts as a recipe step

There comes a moment when you realize online recipes will never taste the same as mami or abuela’s sazón. And the best thing you can do at that moment is call her up. Whether it’s figuring out how not to burn the garlic or asking how she used to make that buttery arroz con maíz, the phone call is part of the magic, reconnecting you to your roots and the flavor of home. Turn this into one of your weekday traditions, so you’ll always be connected to a piece of your casita.

4. Micro-rituals make the week manageable

You won’t feel 100% every day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still make your days special. Midweek routines, such as reheating food, making lunch with leftovers, setting your phone down for a tech-free dinner, or even something as simple as plating your meal when you eat, can bring order to the chaos. If you need an extra boost, grab an ice-cold Coca-Cola to make it feel like you’ve carved out that space just for you. 

5. Tiny wins are still wins

Maybe your kitchen is a mess, or your to-do list still has half the things unchecked, but you know what you still have? Your arrocito waiting in the fridge. Finding joy in making simple foods that our families also made for us, and then figuring out how to make them our own, is something to be proud of. You probably turned the most random leftovers into something that tasted fire and maybe even abuela would approve of. It’s not about big celebrations, it’s about finding joy in the scraps, sips, and seconds. 

This article is part of Everyday Tasty Celebrations, our collab with Coca-Cola that highlights the small moments that feel like big wins in Latino kitchens.

Because when you reheat arroz with love, add your own sazón, and crack open a Coke to sip between bites, that’s not just a meal. That’s a midweek triumph.